A new report has raised questions over the ability and preparedness of the Indian Navy to take on competing forces and its burden on taxpayer money.

The report, recently publishedin India Today, has reveled that the Indian Navy has met 26 major accidents since the year 2000.

The regular occurrence of these accidents means that the Indian Navy has lost a warship every five years.

In 2014 alone, the force lost 21 officers and soldiers in 11 different incidents. Fire broke out on Indian submarine Sindhuratna that year, leading to the deaths of two officers and seven sailors.

The accidents in 2014, particularly the submarine fire, led to the resignation of Indian Naval Chief DK Joshi.

Four years later in 2018, India lost its only nuclear submarine INS Arihant was damaged by water after someone left a latch open.

The India Today report said that most accidents had happened due to negligence nad inadequate training.